Turn Structure
Asked by zavec 14 years ago
Let's assume for a moment that I have a sundial of the infinite, so my opponent can't flash deceiver exarch at the end of my turn. Is there a way for them to cast it somehow between the start of their turn and their untap step?
502.3. No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells can be cast or resolve and no abilities can be activated or resolve. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until the next time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step. (See rule 503, Upkeep Step.)
No actions in the untap step use the stack, and no priority is given, so you cannot cast anything during the untap step.
July 8, 2011 3:17 p.m.
ThiagoMaia says... #3
so, if my opponent cast it on my turn, and I in response ended the turn, his exarch would be countered?
July 8, 2011 6:31 p.m.
MightyPirate says... #4
Correct. He could remove Sundial of the Infinite in response to you activating it (using Boomerang for example) but assuming he doesn't then the Sundial's ability would resolve first and the turn would end, removing all items on the stack following the sundials activation.
July 8, 2011 7:12 p.m.
ThiagoMaia says... #5
but wouldn't the hability stay on the stack, so the exarch is countered anyway?
July 8, 2011 7:18 p.m.
mozerdozer says... #6
Yea. Once an ability is on the stack, it is independent of it's source. So even if they used boomerang, the effect would still take place. And there is no way to counter an activated ability in standard besides Frost Titan or Chancellor of the Annex , both of which can be predicted. Hence the Sundial is one of the most effective ways to deal with the combo.
July 8, 2011 8:08 p.m.
mozerdozer says... #7
Nevermind the chancellor doesn't counter it and it won't target so there is flat out no way to counter the ability of the Sundial in standard.
July 8, 2011 8:09 p.m.
BrightGreenLine says... #8
Also to note: If you use Sundial of the Infinite to end your turn, it doesn't just counter any spells on the stack: They get exiled. His Deceiver Exarch won't go to the graveyard, it will be lost forever until the game is over.
You can definitely use the Sundial in response to your opponent casting Deceiver Exarch though; as soon as the sundial's ability resolves everything left on the stack will be exiled, and you'll skip right to the cleanup step at the end of the turn where "Until end of turn" abilities and damage are removed. Since you're ending the turn though, you don't get an 'End Step" per se, so any abilities that waited until your end step like Glimmerpoint Stag will do nothing. They'll trigger on the next relevant end step and go off like normal.
One way you can abuse the sundial right now though, is with cards like Gruesome Encore . They say things like "At the beginning of your next end step," which means they will only trigger once, on the next end step that occurs during your turn. You can wait for your end step when these abilities trigger, then once they're put on the stack activate your Sundial and end the turn, countering (and exiling) all those triggers. The end result is you'll have a new permanent creature.
Rules dump follows:
712.1a. Exile every object on the stack, including the object that's resolving. Remove all creatures and planeswalkers (including those that are phased out) from combat. All objects not on the battlefield or in the command zone that aren't represented by cards will cease to exist the next time state-based actions are checked (see rule 704, "State-Based Actions").
712.1b. Check state-based actions. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the stack.
712.1c. The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. Skip any phases or steps between this phase or step and the cleanup step.
July 8, 2011 11:57 p.m.
emblasochist says... #9
Am I the only one who noticed that the rulestext for the sundial requires it to be used on your turn only if at all?
July 9, 2011 9:38 p.m.
MightyPirate says... #10
I assumed we were only talking about it on the players turn.
gravesville says... Accepted answer #1
Sundial of the Infinite Deceiver Exarch
Well, they could technically cast Deceiver Exarch in response to you activating Sundial of the Infinite ...but let's assume they don't.
502.3. No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells can be cast or resolve and noabilities can be activated or resolve. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until thenext time a player would receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step. (See rule 503,Upkeep Step.)
The answer to your question is NO. You can't cast spells between the start of the turn and the untap step.
July 8, 2011 3:15 p.m.